DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The Examiner acknowledges the remarks and amendments filed on 5/13/26. Claims 1 and 8 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 6-17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Rufino WO_2020020774_A1 (see machine English translation).
1. Regarding Claim 1, Rufino discloses an enameled substrate (Title) comprising a first glass sheet with a first main face (paragraph 0010) including a diffusion layer (corresponds to claimed scattering layer) made from enamel (corresponds to claimed scattering enamel) including a vitreous material (corresponds to claimed glass-crystalline glassy matrix vitreous binder) (Abstract, paragraph 0384, 0385); wherein said diffusion layer (corresponds to claimed scattering layer) will inherently have a given surface area. Furthermore, Rufino discloses that said diffusion layer (corresponds to claimed scattering layer) having a pattern (paragraph 0010) of 0.3 mm (paragraph 0127). Rufino also discloses having any type of particle crystals in its diffusion layer (corresponds to claimed scattering layer) (paragraphs 0013, 0024, 0104) having a least a 0.2 micron particular size (corresponds to claimed microcrystals) (paragraphs 0013); as well as colored pigments (corresponds to claimed coloring additives), all of which are not more than 10 total weight percent (paragraph 0013); which is then subsequently fired (paragraphs 0037, 0112, 0122, 0123, 0124, 0173, 0313, 0332, 0335, 0338, 0439; Claim 13). Rufino further discloses its pattern can be discontinuous (paragraphs 0135, 0137). Rufino discloses that the afore-described layer is able to diffuse light (corresponds to claimed scattering limitation) (paragraph 0020).
2. Regarding Claims 2, 16, 17, Rufino discloses having a haze of less than 55% and a light transmission of above 70% (Table 2).
3. Regarding Claim 3, Rufino discloses colored pigments can be in a concentration of at most 10 wt% (paragraph 0013).
4. Regarding Claims 6 and 20, Rufino discloses having a light guide source such as light-emitting diodes (paragraphs 0027, 0185, 0254).
5. Regarding Claim 7, Rufino discloses using bismuth (paragraph 0362).
6. Regarding Claim 8, Rufino discloses a laminated enameled substrate glazing unit (paragraph 0370) having an interlayer (paragraph 0452) having two glass sheets (Claim 18).
7. Regarding Claim 9, Rufino discloses how the first glass sheet is the internal main face (Claim 19) between second and third glass sheets (Claim 21).
8. Regarding Claim 10, Rufino discloses a silica anti-reflective coating (paragraph 0189).
9. Regarding Claim 11, Rufino discloses its invention being used in land, air, or rail vehicles for side windows (paragraph 0322).
10. Regarding Claims 12-14, Rufino discloses deposition of the enamel paste by way of screen printing (paragraph 0328) comprised of an organic medium, unmelted solid particles (as explained in paragraph “1” above), and a glass frit (paragraph 0330) inherently having a given glass transition temperature, and then firing at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the glass frit (paragraph 0332) which would inherently lead to growth seeds of said glass frit as well as the other solid, unmelted particle crystals (mentioned above in paragraph “1” above) and the subsequent formation of the afore-described microcrystals, micropads, and diffusion layer that correspond to the claimed limitations.
11. Regarding Claim 15, Rufino discloses bending (paragraph 0341).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4, 5, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rufino WO_2020020774_A1 (see machine English translation).
12. Regarding Claims 4 and 19, Rufino discloses a surface area “S” (paragraph 0022) of having dimensions of at least 15 cm2 (paragraph 0010) which overlaps with Applicants’ claimed range. The remaining limitations would be a matter of design choice. Applicants have not indicated how it results in unexpected properties.
13. Regarding Claim 18, Rufino discloses using colored pigments (paragraph 0013). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to try different colors including the most oft-used in this same field of endeavor, such as black.
14. Regarding Claim 5, as explained above, Rufino discloses deposition of the enamel paste by way of screen printing (paragraph 0328) comprised of an organic medium, unmelted solid particles (as explained in paragraph “1” above), and a glass frit (paragraph 0330) inherently having a given glass transition temperature, and then firing at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the glass frit (paragraph 0332) which would inherently lead to growth seeds of said glass frit as well as the other solid, unmelted particle crystals (mentioned above in paragraph “1” above) and the subsequent formation of the afore-described microcrystals, micropads, and diffusion layer that correspond to the claimed limitations. Applicants have not indicated how it results in unexpected properties.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 5/13/26, with respect to the rejection(s) of all claim(s) under Rufino have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Rufino.
Applicants state: “Rufino's pre-firing glass-frit powder, by definition, is not present in the fired scattering enamel; once fired, the frit melts (Rufino paragraph [0350]: " the frit to melt and the porosity to form") and ceases to exist as discrete glass-frit particles. The Office Action's mapping of glass-frit powder onto post-firing microcrystals therefore cannot be sustained on the face of the reference, particularly in view of the amendment.”
The Examiner respectfully submits the Examiner has now mapped the other unmelted, solid particles to the claimed post-firing microcrystals.
Conclusion
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/TAHSEEN KHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 June 17, 2026
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